Firefighter Reinstated After Firing For Recording City Official
(Orlando, FL) -- An Orlando official is upset that a firefighter is getting his job back. An arbitrator recently ruled that former Orlando firefighter Joshua Granada should be reinstated with back pay. He was fired two years ago for recording City Commissioner Regina Hill while responding to an emergency. Hill told the Orlando Sentinel yesterday the arbitrator's ruling makes her feel violated again.
Congressmen Tour Tyndall AFB
(Tyndall AFB, FL) -- An influential congressman is promising to help Tyndall Air Force Base rebuild. Colorado Congressman Doug Lamborn toured the base yesterday with Panhandle Congressman Neal Dunn. Lamborn is the ranking member of a House subcommittee that deals with the military. He says the destruction caused by Hurricane Michael is unnerving and sad, but he's dedicated to helping Tyndall become better than ever.
DeSantis Announces Boost In Teacher Pay
(Fort Lauderdale, FL) -- The governor has a plan he says will help recruit and retain really great teachers. Governor Ron DeSantis was at Fort Lauderdale's Bayview Elementary School yesterday to announce a proposal to raise the starting salaries of teachers. If lawmakers approve his plan, the starting salary would go from an average of over 37-thousand dollars to over 47-thousand, and it would be the second-highest starting salary in the country.
Police Officer Under Investigation For Inappropriate Video
(Miami Beach, FL) -- A video shared on social media could lead to punishment for a police officer in Miami-Dade County. Miami Beach Police Chief Richard Clements announced yesterday that Officer William Beeker is under investigation for a video posted on Instagram. The video shows Beeker in uniform while three women in lingerie are handcuffed in a fake arrest. Beeker is now on administrative duty while the investigation is underway.
Charge Vacated Against Man Who Slept Through Jury Duty
(West Palm Beach, FL) -- A Palm Beach County man who slept through jury duty is now clear of the charges he faced. A judge yesterday revoked a contempt charge against DeAndre Somerville after a hearing last week. The 21-year-old served ten days in jail and was sentenced to probation, but the judge vacated the charge after finding Somerville to be thoughtful and respectful at his hearing. Somerville didn't show up for a trial he was a jury member on in August, and testimony that day was delayed 45 minutes by his absence.
Mattel Unveils Barbie Judge Doll
(El Segundo, CA) -- Barbie is being equipped with a gown and gavel. Mattel announced on Twitter that it's 2019 Barbie Career of the Year doll is the Barbie Judge Doll. The toy company says the new doll "encourages girls to learn more about making decisions to change the world for the better." Mattel notes that Barbie has had more than 200 careers since 1959. The judge doll comes in a variety of skin tones and hairstyles, and is listed on the Barbie website for just under 13-dollars.
Man Robs TX Bank Day Before Wedding
(Grovetown, TX) -- Police in Texas say a man went through extreme measures to take care of wedding expenses. The Trinity County Sheriff says Heath Bumpous robbed a bank in Groveton on Friday in order to buy a ring and pay for the venue where his wedding was to take place the next day. Bumpous later turned himself in after speaking with his fiance, who saw surveillance images of him on social media. The sheriff says most of the money has been recovered and no wedding took place. Groveton is a little over 100 miles north of Houston.
TODAY IN HISTORY:
2017, Movie mogul Harvey Weinstein was fired from the Weinstein Company following reports of sexual harassment. Over 80 women accused Weinstein of sexual misconduct. The outrage sparked the #MeToo movement.
2004, Martha Stewart checked in to a minimum security federal prison in Alderson, West Virginia to begin serving a five month sentence. The domestic diva was convicted earlier in the year of lying to authorities about a suspicious stock trade.
2001, radio commentator Rush Limbaugh told listeners he was virtually deaf. Limbaugh later had an electronic device implanted in his skull that restored much of his hearing.
1897, Charles Henry Dow started charting stocks and bond trends. Dow is the founder of the Wall Street Journal.